Educators and Counselors: Professional Allies in Addressing the National Teacher Shortage

As the Say Yes to FCS initiative continues to expand, new stakeholders are identified. School guidance counselors are key stakeholders and must be included in the efforts to recruit more family and consumer sciences educators. Instead of waiting for counselors to understand the demand for FCS educators, the profession must move forward with educating counselors on the demand for these educators and the important college and career readiness content that is addressed in the secondary FCS classroom. The purpose of this article is two-fold. First, it will help family and consumer sciences educators understand their role in educating the school counselors in their district, and second, it will educate family and consumer sciences educators on the demands school counselors have so that greater understanding can be reached between these professionals who have a common goal—providing students with the necessary skills to be successful in college, career, and life.